Display-rack.



W. T. HORMES. DISPLAY RIACKL APPLIICATIION FILED APILS. 19I5. 1,28 3,5 '1 8. Patented-Nov; 5, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET lw. T. Homvuas.

DISPLAY RACK;

N HLED APR.9. I915 Patented Nov. 5, 1918. I

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM T. HORMES, OF GOVANS, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR, TO SOLOMON HIMMEL, OF

I BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

DISPLAY-RACK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 5,1918.

Application filed April 9,1915. Serial No. 20,268.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

a citizen of the United States, residing at Govans, in the county of Baltimore and State of Maryland, have invented new and useful Improvements in Display-Racks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is a device for displaying or exhibiting goods, and relates to that type of display devices wherein a rotatable rack is employed for supporting the goods to be displayed, and normally inclosed within a case or compartment. Such'cases or compartments are usually constructed with glass Walls or panels, so that the goodson display may be readily seen by the prospective customers passing the same, and at the same time be protected from dust and promiscuous handling. When it is desired tomore closely inspect the article upondisplay, the rack is rotated to permit of the desired examination and selection. In view of the fact that economy of floor space demands that the area occupied by the case be as small as possible, it is usually customary to construct the case of oblong shape, with the rack or supporting member conforming to this shape, being of a length greater than the width of the case. To provide the necessary clearance for its rotation, the rack is so mounted as to be moved to a point near the front of the case, a sufficient distance to permit the ends of therack to swing in front of the rear wall or panel of the case, when the rack is rotated. Heretofore, display racks of this type have been usually employed for the storingand display of ready made garments, such as mens and boys clothing, womens dresses, and the like. One of the objects of the invention is to broaden the field of usefulness ofsuch display racks, by providing simple and eflicient means whereby smaller articles of merchandise, such as millinery and millinery findings including plumes, trimmings, and the like, may be stored and exhibited, and yet be easy of access when removal or close examination is desired. A further object is to provide improved means for removably supporting boxes or similar receptacles, provided with glass covers, upon a rotatable support, in such manner as to admit of ready access to the contents thereof.

The invention will be hereinafter fully set forth and particularly pointed out in the Be it known that 1, WILLIAM T. HORMES, I

claims.

In the accompanymg draw1ngs:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a display rack constructed in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the case, illustrating the rack in end elevation. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view' illustrating the means for attaching the receptaoles to the rack. Fig. 4 is a detail View riage is provided with a tubular boss 14 which rotatably supports a shaft 15. The

lower end of the shaft 15 projects below the carriage and is providedwith a cross head 16, having rollers 17, mounted to runbetween guides 18, which are. united at their outer ends by a circular portion 19. The construction is such that when the carriage is moved inwardly, the rollers .17 are caused to enter the space between the straight portions of the guides 18, so that rotation of the shaft is prevented. 'When the carriage is moved to the forward or outer position, the rollers 17 engage the circular portion 19, thereby permitting the shaft to rotate. The foregoing arrangement is described merely for the purposes of illustration, and it is'not. intended tO l1Il'l1t"tll6 invention thereto, as: any of the other well lmown forms of reciprocating carriages and locking and unlocking devices, may be employed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Rigidly attached to the shaft 15, are

brackets 20, spaced one from the other, each bracket being provided with oppositely disposed arms 21, terminating in widened seats 22, for the boxes or receptacles 23. )Said boxes rest upon the seats 22 and are retained in position by means of clamps each formed of a member 24 having an overhanging angular portion 25, adapted to fit over the top of the box or receptacle, the said members 24 being provided with lugs 26, having openings therein, the opening of each lug being threaded to engage a correspondingly threaded portion of an adjusting rod 27, said rods being passed through tubular bosses with which the arms 21 are provided. Said adjusting member is provided with a head 28, adapted to bear against the underside of the arm 21, in such manner that when the angular port-ion 25 is engaged with the top of a box or receptacle, a clamping pressure sufficient to retain it in position, is obtained by screwing up the adjusting member 27, said head being shaped to be conveniently grasped. The boxes or receptacles 23 may be provided with removable or hinged covers 29, preferably of glass, so as to display the contents of the receptacles, and permit of ready removal thereof.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the invention provides simple and efficient means for removably supporting the boxes or receptacles in a most convenient manner for effective display of the articles contained therein, and yet insure perfect protection of such articles from being soiled by dust or promiscuous handling. Should it be necessary or desirable to remove any one of the boxes or receptacles, the removal may be readily accomplished by loosening and disengaging the clamp which retains it in position, and a new box may be substituted and as readily secured in position by again tightening up the clamp. By supporting the boxes upon the shaft 15, and carriage 13, the rack may be quickly and easily manipulated to present all of the boxes to view for inspection. By looking the clamping members independent of the arms 21, the receptacle may be rigidly secured in position and yet ample clearance be provided between the top of the receptacle and any of the arms 21 which may overhang the same.

Having thus explained the nature of my invention and described an operative man ner of constructing and using the same, although without attempting to set forth all of the forms in which it may be made, or all of the forms of its use, what I claim is 1. The combination with a case or cabinet, of a rotatable shaft mounted to reciprocate to and from a position within said case or cabinet, a plurality of spaced apart brackets attached to said shaft, each bracket being provided with a support having an opening therethrough, adjusting rods passed through the openings of the respective supports, each adjusting rod having a shoulder bearing against one surface of the support through which it is passed, and clamp members adjustably engaged by the adjusting rods and cooperating with the respective supports to clamp articles between them.

2. The combination with a case or cabinet, of a rotatable shaft mounted to reciprocate to and from a position within said ease or cabinet, a plurality of spaced apart brackets attached to said shaft, each bracket being provided with a support having an opening therethrough, adjusting rods passed through the openings of the respective supports, each adjusting rod having a shoulder bearing against one surface of the support through which it is passed, and clamping members each having an overhanging portion and a depending internally threaded lug, said adjusting rods being threaded to engage the lugs of the respective clamp members.

3. The combination with a case or cabinet, of a rotatable shaft mounted to reciprocate to and from a position within said case or cabinet, a plurality of spaced apart brackets attached to said shaft, each bracket being provided with oppositely extended arms terminating in elongated and widened seats, each arm having an opening therethrough, adjusting rods passing through the openings of the respective arms, each adjusting rod having a shoulder bearing against one surface of the arm through which it is passed, and clamp members adjustably engaged by the adjusting rods and cooperating with the respective supports to clamp the articles between them.

i. An improved display rack comprising a rotatable shaft, a plurality of spaced apart brackets attached to said shaft, each bracket being provided with a support at its extremity, and means associated with the support and overhanging the same for clamping articles thereupon in position to permit clearance between said articles and any supports which may overhang the same, the clamping means of each support being inde pendent of the other supports.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM T. HORMES.

Witnesses:

STEPHEN CAMPBELL,

WILBUR S. MCKAY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Eaten,

Washington, D. U. 

